Recently, relying on the support of the Jiangsu Attapulgite Industry Regional Innovation Engine Program, Huai'an Industrial Technology Research Institute and Huai'an University jointly established a proof-of-concept center for mineral resources utilization and new chemical materials, which focuses on technological innovation and achievement transformation of the attapulgite clay industry and fully promotes the high-quality transformation and upgrading of the regional characteristic mineral resources industry. The center's 2026 Attapulgite Innovation Engine Program launched the proof-of-concept "seed bank" project solicitation work simultaneously, activating industrial innovation momentum through financial support and platform empowerment.

The proof-of-concept "seed bank" projects of the center's 2026 Attapulgite Innovation Engine Program will focus on biomedicine, new energy, and special functional materials, primarily expanding the application of attapulgite clay in strategic emerging industries. The selected projects can receive a maximum of RMB 200,000 in R&D funding support. At the same time, the center will provide supporting services such as technical guidance, platform sharing, and resource matchmaking for the projects to accelerate the implementation and transformation of high-quality projects.

In the future, the center will focus on the goal of industrial transformation and upgrading, take technological innovation as the core driving force, and continue to tap the value of attapulgite resources. It will break through the bottleneck of key core technologies, continuously improve the innovative ecosystem of the attapulgite industry, and promote the transformation and upgrading of the city's traditional mineral resource industry towards a more high-end and refined level. Ultimately, it will help Huai'an build a national-level hub for innovation and development in the attapulgite industry.